The Night Of the Battle
by starkidpotterhockey
Summary: This is by far the couple I ship the hardest out of everything. Neville and Luna were just teenagers battling for their lives. But some things can't go unsaid before the impending end. His mission was to find her. (Rated K for mild language)


The Night of the Battle.

A Neville and Luna fiction. Purely Fluff of the cutest HP couple on the night of the battle. Neville was desperate for her. He had to find her before the impending end. Nothing was going to stand between them.

* * *

_**Thanks for the help**__. _Neville sarcastically thought to himself. No one knew where she was and that only made him believe in the worst. There was a massive battle going on and he was in need of a small portion of help. For all he knew, she could be injured, tortured, or dead.

_**Stop being so bloody negative Longbottom!**_ Neville scolded himself as he was ducking curses and sprinting down the corridors. _**She's strong, she's smart, and she can take care of herself.**_

Suddenly in the midst of his thoughts he ran straight into his good mate, Seamus Finnigan, knocking him to the ground. Neville used a quick protego to shield Seamus after realizing he interrupted his combat with a large bulky death eater. Helping his buddy up, Neville assisted Seamus in finishing off the poor sap. After the death eater was finished Neville pulled Seamus into an empty corridor corner.

"Oi, what's the big hurry Neville? Couldn't you see I was in the middle of a life or death situation?" Seamus exclaims breathlessly.

"Have you seen Luna? I've been all over looking for her, and no one's seen her." Neville spurts out between gasps.

"Luna? Why?" he quizzically asks.

"You know why Seamus. I told you. Do you know where she is?" Neville cried with an anxious and impatient tone.

Seamus ponders his thoughts. "Oh right. Sorry mate. Don't you think it's a bit sudden to confess your love to your best friend in the middle of all this?"

Neville groans. His adrenaline and massive passionate fury of love was over whelming, "JUST TELL ME WHERE SHE IS!" Neville yells exasperated shaking his fatigued friend around desperate for an answer.

"Dammit Longbottom, I've never seen you so energetic and forceful." Neville glares impatiently as Seamus cowers under pressure quickly thinking "Luna and Ginny ran by about 20 minutes ago heading to defend the upstairs corridor by the boys lavatory."

_**Thank heavens she's okay.**_Neville thought. The relief only lasted a few moments. Then fear of what will happen before he finally gets to her crowded his young system. Neville let go of his friend just in time as a few death eaters appeared and he dashed off towards the closest stairway shouting, "Thanks mate!"

"Just go get her Longbottom!" Seamus finishes in saying as he jogged to help Dean, Justin, Parvarti and Kingsley.

Neville stumbled on about every other of the crumbling stair steps fighting off every death eater along his way. He was going to survive until he found her. Every one of his last aching breaths would be to make sure she survived until this war was over.

_**Wow. Am I really in this much shape? **_Neville asks himself while aiding Nigel Wolpert and Michael Corner with the two death eaters by the History of Magic classroom. It was true. Neville Longbottom had really grown in shape. His child fat has almost disappeared allowing his new found muscles and toned figure come into play. _**It's a good thing I laid off those chocolate frogs Fred and George snuck over for me the other day."**_

"Thanks Neville I think we can handle the rest ourselves." Nigel states after Neville fends off the four death eaters pursuing them.

"It was my pleasure Nigel. Have you two spotted Luna around here?" Neville exclaims.

"Luna is still over by the boys' lavatory. There's a huge mess over there. They sent us to get help but we got caught up with something." Michael Corner explains.

"Is anyone helping?" I question getting antsy.

"There's a load of them. I believe its Luna, Ginny, Katie Bell, Oliver Wood, Cormac McLaggen, Professor McGonagall, Lee Jordan, and Charlie Wealsey." Michael states,

"Thanks Michael, you two be careful out there."

"We will Neville. And good luck with Miss. Lovegood, but I hardly think you'll be able to get through "I love you" in all that mess of a skirmish they've gotten into." Nigel blurts out.

Neville was already scampering off when he paused dead in his tracks and spun around dramatically. _**Gosh we're all lucky this corridor has remained quiet for so long.**_

Nigel smirked playfully, "You're both best friends. I've seen the way you look at Luna at the DA meetings. You were one of the best in the DA yet you always found an excuse…"

Neville heard enough to satisfy his curiosity, "Sorry Nigel, Michael, got to jet!" he bellowed rushing towards the corner leading him to the wide and outsized hallway where the boys lavatory rested.

The poor Longbottom's sweat was stinging his eyes. Although that was the least of his worries.

Suddenly he heard the shriek. It stunned his eardrums making him go a bit dizzy. Those Carrows already busted his head slightly, whoever screeched was in trouble, and it was absolutely a girl.

"Luna? Luna!" He shouted rushing into one of the biggest chaos he's seen in the castle.

Michael and Nigel could have stressed this mess a bit more. There was about 12 death eaters, 4 dementors, and a huge blazing fire. The pillars were crumpled, the air was highly concentrated with smoke and the confusion and yelling made Neville go a bit lightheaded. _**Maybe those Carrows really did mess up my head; I should have listened to Luna and went to Madame Pompfry.**_ Neville busied himself trying to regain focus with his aching migraine.

Then he tried to understand everything going on. Oliver Wood and Katie were busy holding off 4 death eaters. Ginny and Lee Jordan were trying to control the forever raging fire. He spotted Cormac and McGonagall on the opposite side of the fire holding off the dementors and struggling with death eaters. And he saw no Luna. _**I'm too late.**_

"Neville, are you our backup?" Ginny asks, "I told Corner and Nigel we needed a lot more. Those bloody idiots.

"No Ginny, where's Luna? Where is she? How come she isn't here?" I burst out almost in tears.

"Calm down Longbottom . She's okay. She's on the other side of the fire with Charlie." Ginny answers.

"You think you could let me through, I need Luna." Neville fends off the death eaters inching their way closer to Ginny.

"You decide now is the best time to tell her? You had all the time in the world and you pick now?" Ginny asks beaming brightly.

Neville rolls his eyes slightly irritated, "Please Ginny."

Ginny Weasley tries her hardest to break apart a small hole in the fire enough for Neville to crawl through.

"Just don't screw it up Longbottom." Ginny grins playfully. Neville hesitates, mustering up the courage to crawl through before Ginny lost control of the fire.

"Mr. Longbottom? Pleasure to see you." Professor McGonagall shouts over the pandemonium as Neville gets helped up by a delightfully looking Charlie Weasley. Cormac was shielding everyone with his patronus while Charlie and McGonagall were fighting off the surrounding death eaters. As quickly as he crawled in, he was drawn into the battle far too busy dodging spells and casting to notice the young blonde Ravenclaw he almost knocked over.

"Luna! You're okay." he bellowed in utter happiness. He let his guard down to pick her up off her feet and spin her around in the air tightly embracing her.

"Neville I'm just as ecstatic to see you but, PROTEGO!" she choked shielding the impending curse heading towards him.

He drops her light body back onto the rubble filled floor. They both refocus on keeping themselves alive. Meanwhile Neville tries to have a decent conversation in all the commotion.

"I have been rushing all through the castle for you Luna. You have no idea how much I've been worrying about you. I'm so glad you're okay." Neville utters between spells.

"I've been worried about you too Neville. I would have been looking for you too, but Ginny and I got caught up in this." Luna states.

"I have been burning to tell you something." Neville exclaims ducking a killing curse.

"And what is that?" Luna evades a cruciatus curse hurdling to the side colliding into Neville in the process. "Oh, sorry Neville." She blurts out as Neville tenderly catches her shielding them both with a charm, sheltering them from another hex.

"I want to tell you, but preferably alone and away from the battle." He mentions motioning around.

Professor McGonagall becomes aware of Neville's initiative and randomly yells, "We'll hold them off for you Longbottom. Sneak into the boy's lavatory, they won't spot you two."

"Are you serious professor?" Cormac asks sweating profusely holding his weakening patronus against the dementors while also shielding him from death eaters.

"Good God McLaggen!" She motions to the bathroom door hidden by a fallen pillar. "You go on Longbottom, we'll hold them back long enough."

"Professor McGonagall I've been fighting all night." McLaggen whines.

"And they've been fighting all year against those bloody Carrows and death eaters. They've been helping Potter all they've can. And what have you done McLaggen? Complain to your father."

Neville, shocked yet thankful from what McGonagall announced, dragged Luna by the pillar. Together they both crawled through and were just a few feet from the lavatory door. _**This is it. I'm finally going to tell her.**_

"What's this all about Neville?" Luna asks wiping some of the dust and dirt debris on her face. Neville grabbed her hand helping her up as they shuffled closer to the entrance of the boys toilets.

"You'll see. We just need some quiet." Neville had his hand on the door handle when Luna's soft fingers plunged out of his hands.

"Well, looky here lad. Looks like I got meself two munchkins trying to sneak off." A blundering massive death eater states as his breath makes Neville cringe. The death eater had a rough and thick brown beard and bushy eyebrows and a stern look on his face as if he had never smiled. His eyes appeared black as night to Neville, reducing his chances of ever getting his chance to tell Luna.

"Where are you cowardly children off to?" he asks seizing Luna by the neck lifting her dainty feet off the floor. Neville observed her thrash about, choking, and growing paler than before.

"Lay off her!" Neville shrieks as loudly as her could. Neville didn't know what to do. He could fight him, but the death eater might damage Luna.

"This bother you?" the death eater threatens shaking Luna's body around as if she was a doll. "Whatchu going to do 'bout it boy?"

Neville decides to take this chance. "This is what I'm going to do." He swings his arm out and strikes the death eater across the side of his face allowing him to drop Luna to the ground gasping.

The death eater takes a few deathly blows to the head from Neville before he finally gets knocked unconscious. Luna feebly returns to her normal state clutching Neville's arm in fear as they inspect the bloke lying on the floor out cold.

"Obliviate." Luna whispers sticking her arm out. Neville awaits the spell to finish before ultimately heaving Luna into the restroom.

"That was brilliant Neville, but now will you tell me what's going on?" she asks quizzically.

Neville comes to a decision to rely on impulse. He wraps his one arm around Luna's waist, and uses another to mildly force her against the wall. He was so tightly close in fear of her slipping away and did the most courageous thing he thinks he'll ever do. _**Don't screw it up Longbottom.**_ He kissed her.

In the midst of the battle, all Neville cared about was having his first kiss with the one he was truly in love with before he died.

Neville engulfed his arms around her small frame crashing his lips against hers. This sensation surged through his body and his hormones were raging. She was kissing him back. Never had he been so passionate let alone astonishing so much in his life. Despite all the debris and muck coating their faces and slight wounds, Neville couldn't help but notice the way Luna smelled so sweet and tasted like chocolate pudding. (The good kind the the house-elves usually make for the Halloween and Christmas feast.)

Neville pulled away startling himself. _**God dammit that was brilliant.**_ He was admiring Luna from that close distance as she grasped what those past few minutes of snogging were supposed to mean.

"I love you Lu. This may have been one of the most uncalled for times to blurt it out, but it might have been my last shot." Neville reveals at long last.

Luna swiftly gives him a prompt peck on the lips before saying, "I love you too Neville. I've been waiting for you to tell me all year. I just never expected now."

_**She was waiting for me to tell her all year? **_"I believe it's just the hormones and adrenaline that forced my mind to make this seem like the best time to tell you."

"Maybe the wrakspurts are making your brain fuzzy." She answers running her hands through his hair flicking off the invisible creatures.

"I guess since I've waited this long, I had to do it before anything tragic happens." Neville states.

Luna then grabs his dirty and faintly wounded hand gripping it securely as if he could so easily slip away, "Can you promise me something before McLaggen gives up and dooms us all?" she utters in a hushed tone.

Neville pulls her in a firm hug as she buried her dainty head in his chest. "What's that love?" he asks.

"Don't give up tonight." She whispers.

"I promise Lu. I won't ever give up if that means I won't be able to see you again. I want to see that gorgeous face of your smiling when it's finally over." Luna's eyes ducked down and shed soundless tears into his cardigan as he paused. "Luna? Don't cry." He exclaims lifting her chin up. "I don't want you giving up either."

She gazed blankly at his chest treasuring their moment together cuddled in each other's arms. Her cheeks form a giggle as she says, "You're wearing the cardigan. My gift to you from Christmas." She admires the soft fabric and pattern cherishing everything about Neville.

Neville wipes some tears from her eyes. Running his fingers through her golden locks, he replies, "I gave you that locket before you disappeared." He shortly played with the necklace around Luna's neck.

Neville leans in for another kiss, allowing them to have one last snog before they part their ways to the impending end. Neville broke apart abruptly and sighed as he stated, "We should go. McLaggen must be furious."

"Save me a kiss for when we win?" she asks.

"You're so sure about that?" Neville asks still clutching her hand.

"Why not? I have faith in Harry." She replies with the confidence Neville has grown to adore.

They open the door, exiting the lavatory hand in hand preparing to face the terror out there yet again.

"Stay safe out there Luna, okay? I love you." Neville says finally letting go of the warm smooth hand.

"I love you too." She answers. "Don't forget you owe me a kiss when this horror all ends."

They both finally reveal themselves only to find a whining Cormac McLaggen still nagging to Professor McGonagall. Everyone was still in the same defensive mode as if their fighting is doing nothing.

"It's about time Longbottom. What took you two so long?" Cormac grumbles.

"McLaggen! Leave the two alone. Blimey, I wouldn't blame a death eater taking you out." Professor McGonagall yells.

"Well I got to go check on everyone else down the corridors. Ginny could you open me a hole?" Neville states. He hears a muffled and positive reply from Lee Jordan and Ginny. He patiently waits for the fire to seize long enough for him to safely pass.

Neville becomes antsy in the wait preoccupied with some dueling. It seemed to calm down long enough for him to have a minute before passing through the growing opening in the fire. Neville scurries back and gives Luna a peck on the lips before rushing off in though the opening. Michael and Nigel arrive with reinforcements as Neville leaves the disastrous scene to finish this battle on a high note, keeping his promise to survive.

The Great Hall was full of the uneasy mix of utter grief and ecstasy. Neville sat at a table pondering his thoughts about life after the end of the Dark Lord. He toyed with the gleaming and bloody sword in his palms still in shock over his shining moment. _**I did it. I actually did it. Maybe this will show Malfoy I'm not worthless.**_

"You were brilliant Neville. Are you proud of yourself?" A soft graceful voice exclaims.

He gazes up at the strikingly beautiful girl with the dazzling blue eyes. He tenderly takes her hand pulling her into the open seat close to him. "Still in shock, but I guess I am."

She engulfs her arms around Neville's and leans soothingly against his shoulder. "You kept your promise."

"And you were right Lu. It's over and we're both okay." Neville says.

"What do you think happens now? It's over, there's no more fighting." She asks cuddling against his arm.

"We just move on. Continue with our lives. Maybe…" Neville reaches into his pocket hiding the object in his palm. Luna loosens her grip on his arm attempting to attain the item enclosed in his hand. "Maybe consider this in the future?" She reaches in his hand wrapping her nimble fingers around the small delicate expensive object.

"You still owe me a kiss." She whispers removing the item from his hand spinning it clumsily in her palm.

Neville pulls her small frame close to him trapping her in his large embrace placing a dainty kiss on her soft precious lips. Kissing each other for as long as they could to forget the horror in their past. They had each other. They had their friends. Everything at once was at ease.


End file.
